


I’m Not Asking You to Leave

by Nelle816



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-08
Updated: 2019-04-08
Packaged: 2020-01-06 16:37:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18392225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nelle816/pseuds/Nelle816
Summary: They fell into bed together. Some time later, hungry and thirsty, they crawled out again.





	I’m Not Asking You to Leave

**Author's Note:**

> I noticed at the end of E02 that Michael's trailer was at the Foster Ranch, and at the beginning of E03 it was parked at Sanders' Auto. This is what I thought happened.  
> Later I discovered Carina wanted it to imply they'd gotten together a few times between E02 & E03.

They fell into bed together. Some time later, hungry and thirsty, they crawled out again. Michael had packed most of his fridge into a cooler for moving. There were a couple apples on top with the leftovers from yesterday’s takeout. He grabbed the last beer he’d stuck into the corner and chucked an apple to land on the bed where Alex was sitting trying to untangle his clothes and shoes. 

“I’m not asking you to leave, man, but I need to move this rig tonight.”

Alex checked his watch then took a bite out of the apple.He tossed Michael’s shirt at him from out of their mixed pile of clothes. “I’ll help you. I’m on my two days off.”

They shared the beer, dressed and finished off the apples. Alex took a little longer, but Michael used the time to watch him through his lashes as he pretended to secure the boxes of belongings he’d stacked on the floor. He noticed the little changes they hadn’t taken the time to explore earlier, the splash of faint puckering scars across his back and the thickness that had settled around his torso with age. Alex’s hair was flatter too, probably due to less product than when they were teens. Less jewelry too. Michael didn’t care. He moved closer, unable to stop himself from sliding a hand over Alex’s shoulder. Alex’s skin, like that old guitar Michael didn’t play anymore, always made him feel warm and comfortable. Alex turned and smiled up at him. That smile always disarmed Michael’s verbal slings and arrows, but he doesn’t have time to think about what that means because Alex is crowding him out the door and into the dusty sunset. 

They worked in relative silence and finished loading the lawn chairs, cans and other paraphernalia into the trailer or the back of Michael’s truck. Finally they levered up the chunk of decking and tied it down on top. Michael had been afraid of scaring Alex off. He wanted to ask so many things. Why did Alex leave without even a goodbye? Where had the Air Force sent him and what had he seen? What did he know about the crash in ‘47? What had changed Alex’s mind about being with him? Michael didn’t ask any of those things. He didn’t want the night to end, yet there was nothing left to do but pull out of Foster’s ranch.

He stood next to the cab of his truck, looking down, trying to figure out the right words to say that aren’t simply _Please stay_. Alex broke the silence to ask where he was really going. Michael told him and then to his utter surprise, Alex offered to grab some supper and meet him at Sanders’ Auto. Michael agreed partly because he was pretty sure that second apple was supposed to be his supper. 

Michael had enough time to park and jack the trailer and was muscling the decking into place under the airstream’s door when Alex pulled up with subs and a 6-pack of beer. Thank you, Jesus for this man! Michael thought. They cracked open one to drink while they got out the chairs and fire ring. It was downright homey after they’d finished unloading and lit a fire. Together, they ate in what was becoming a comfortable silence. 

After he’d watched the sandwich papers turn to ash in the fire, Michael stood up and stretched, reaching his hands up toward the stars and arching his back. He twisted and turned, trying to ease the tightness that had started once he finally sat down after a few hours of more strenuous activities. When he finally looked down at where Alex sat, he saw that smile again, and maybe a little heat in Alex’s eyes. 

Michael cleared his throat and forced himself to speak. “Sanders has a shower and washing machine behind the shop. I need to clean up a bit. You’re welcome to hang out… or.. You know.. Join me.” He tried his most devilish grin.

Alex chuckled and shook his head. “I’m good. Hand me another beer and I’ll hang out while you freshen up.” Alex’s smile and raised eyebrows were just as charming as Michael’s grin.

Michael’s mind raced as he handed over the fifth beer and gathered some cleaner clothes from a drawer in the trailer. He pulled out a clean sheet from the bottom of the drawer while he was there and quickly changed the one on the bed that he’d been sleeping on for more than a couple weeks. He grabbed his towel from the hook in the bathroom and headed out, exchanging a shy smile with Alex who had kicked his feet up on a bucket beside the fire. 

_What is wrong with you?_ He asked himself as he stepped under the cold stream of water. _Get a grip, Guerin. Just hang on and enjoy the ride for however long he sticks around this time._

When Michael returned, wearing only jeans and glistening damp curls, Alex was leaning over the front seat of his SUV, a bland, beige thing Michael had been resisting the urge to tease him about. A jolt of fear ran through Michael as he thought Alex was trying to leave without saying goodbye.. Again. But no, Alex straightened up and pulled out a guitar case from the passenger seat. When he turned to come back to the fire, he quirked his eyebrows and checked out Michael’s bare chest with appreciation. Michael ducked his head self-consciously and snagged the last beer before reclaiming his lawn chair. He tried to make himself relax while Alex sat and tuned up the guitar. Michael tried to watch the flames while Alex played, but he couldn’t stop his eyes from straying to Alex’s fingers on the fretboard. 

After a couple songs, Alex stopped and offered the guitar to him, but Michael waved a pass with his beer bottle. He didn’t want to say that he can’t really hold the strings down right since that night in the tool shed. Alex shrugged and started playing again. Michael recognized the song as one of the ones Alex had written when they were in school. 

Alex played a few more songs until the fire had burned down to embers and the last of the beer was gone. Michael stood again and offered Alex his hand. Again he forced himself to speak, still scared he was going to accidentally break the spell that was keeping Alex here. “Come in for a while. It’s getting cold out here.” Alex nodded, took his offered hand and followed Michael into the trailer. Once inside, he leaned the guitar in the corner by the door before he turned to kiss Michael again. They stood there, Michael leaning against the sink counter, kissing and touching. It was slower this time, not the clumsy excitement of their first time, and not the frenzied desperation of earlier that afternoon. 

That night they took their time exploring each other, marking out all the ways they’d changed and finding the places that felt the same. And eventually they dozed off draped across each other on the small dinette bed of the airstream. Some time later, Michael woke to Alex jerking and mumbling beside him. He grabbed the other man’s shoulder because he was afraid Alex would slip off the narrow bed.

“Hey. Hey man. I’m here. You’re okay, Alex. I got you” Michael murmured softly into his hair. Alex didn’t wake, but he mumbled something that sounded like ‘Guerin’ and the tight, pained expression faded from his face. Michael continued stroking Alex’s shoulder, gently easing him closer until they were touching skin to skin and Alex’s breathing evened out. It didn't surprise Michael that bad dreams were something they had in common.


End file.
